Page Setup
By the Syncfusion DevTutorials team · Last updated
Set margins, switch between portrait and landscape, choose a paper size, and make custom page settings.
Before you print or share a document, the page itself needs to be right: the size of the paper, which way it faces, and how much white space surrounds the text. In this lesson, you'll learn to set margins, orientation, and paper size, and how to make custom settings in the Page Setup dialog.
Open the Word sandbox and follow along. All the tools in this lesson are on the Layout tab.
Page setup applies to the whole document (or to the current section, which you'll meet in the next lesson). You don't need to select any text. Just click anywhere in the document and change the setting.
Margins
The first page setting to look at is the white space around your text. Margins are the empty spaces between the edge of the paper and your text. They keep text away from the edge, leave room for binding, and make the page look balanced.
- Go to the Layout tab.
- Click Margins.
- Pick a preset:
| Preset | Size | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | 1 inch on every side | Most documents. This is the default. |
| Narrow | 0.5 inch on every side | Fitting more on a page, such as flyers or forms |
| Moderate | 1 inch top and bottom, 0.75 inch left and right | A little more space for text |
| Wide | 1 inch top and bottom, 2 inches left and right | Documents that need room for notes |
Margins are measured in inches or centimeters (1 inch is about 2.54 cm).
Orientation
Orientation controls whether the page is tall or wide.
- Portrait: tall and narrow. The default for letters, reports, and most documents.
- Landscape: wide and short. Good for wide tables, charts, certificates, and posters.
To change it, go to Layout > Orientation, and choose Portrait or Landscape.
Paper size
Once the page orientation is correct, the next step is making sure the document matches the paper you'll print on. Paper size must match the paper in your printer, or the printout will be cut off or shrunk.
| Size | Measurements | Where it's used |
|---|---|---|
| Letter | 8.5 × 11 inches | The USA, Canada, and parts of Latin America |
| A4 | 210 × 297 mm (8.27 × 11.69 inches) | Most of the rest of the world, including Europe, India, and Australia |
| Legal | 8.5 × 14 inches | Legal documents in the USA |
To change it, go to Layout > Size, and pick a size.
If you're sending a document to another country, check which paper size they use. A Letter document printed on A4 paper (or the other way round) can end up with cut-off lines or odd gaps at the bottom.
Custom page settings
The presets cover most needs. For anything else, use the Page Setup dialog:
- On the Layout tab, click Margins > Custom Margins, or click Size > More Paper Sizes.
- The Page Setup dialog opens. It has tabs for Margins, Paper, and Layout.
- On the Margins tab, type exact values for Top, Bottom, Left, and Right, and choose the orientation.
- On the Paper tab, choose a size or type a custom Width and Height.
- Click OK.
Custom settings are useful when a school, publisher, or employer gives you exact rules, such as "1.5 inch left margin for binding".
Changing the page setup can move text onto different pages. After you change margins, orientation, or size, scroll through the document and check that tables, pictures, and headings still sit where you want them.
Common mistakes
Here are the most common traps, and how to fix them:
| Mistake | What happens | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong paper size | Printouts are cut off or shrunk | Match Size to the paper in the printer |
| Margins too small | The printer can't print near the edge, and text is lost | Use at least 0.5 inch, or the Normal preset |
| Using many Enter presses to push text down the page | Layout breaks when anything changes | Adjust the top margin, or use a page break (next lesson) |
| Rotating one page and the whole document turns | Every page becomes landscape | Use a section break first (next lesson) |
| Forgetting to check after a change | Tables or pictures land on the wrong page | Scroll through and fix anything that moved |
Exercise
Now it's time to set up a page yourself.
Click New in the sandbox title bar, and type Certificate of Achievement. Then do each task and press Check.
What to remember
- Page setup lives on the Layout tab and applies to the whole document or section.
- Margins are the white space around the text. Normal is 1 inch on every side.
- Portrait is tall, landscape is wide.
- Letter (8.5 × 11 in) is common in North America, and A4 almost everywhere else.
- Use Custom Margins or More Paper Sizes to open Page Setup for exact values.
- Check your whole document after changing the page setup.
In the next lesson, you'll control where pages and sections start, and split text into columns.